Selfish Bastard
1. “You’re giving me a damn headache,”
When Roger was on tour, the house seemed so quiet and lonely even with the children home. Leo, who was turning 5 next week and Andrea who was 7 took up a lot of Charlotte’s time, however, the house still seemed empty. Especially at night.
The bed was cold, the king size bed appeared so much bigger without his body on his side of the bed. The nightstand still had his things on it, Charlotte wouldn’t touch his side of the bed, she wanted to keep it exactly how he had left it.
“Mommy?” Leo called, slowly pulling his body up off the ground, “Mommy where are you?”
Charlotte was in the kitchen, preparing dinner. Just simple cheesy pasta, she didn’t feel up to cooking a fancy meal – especially considering the fact both the children had been acting up lately, but she put it down to them missing their father.
“Mommy, when will Daddy come home?”
Charlotte signed, she really didn’t know. Tour was meant to be finished with last month, but Roger had called her to say they have extended the tour but when she went to ask for how long, Roger had dodged the question, ‘Sorry love, I’ve got to go. Freddie wants me.’ He had said, and then hung up the phone.
“I’m sorry prince, I don’t have an answer for that. Soon though, soon.” She leant down, picking him up and placing him gently on her hip, leaning down to place a light kiss on his forehead.
“Now how about you help Mommy make dinner?” She chuckled, seeing his head nod up and down.
Charlotte was putting the kids to bed, reading Leo a bedtime story who just complained throughout it all,
“You’re not doing it right! Daddy always does voices for different characters!” He examined, and once she started doing different voices she was still doing it wrong, using the ‘wrong’ voices Leo claimed.
However, throwing the little tantrum in bed helped him full asleep. Charlotte smiled, looking down at him. He looked so peaceful, and all she could was hope Roger would be home in time for his birthday.
She walked out of Leo’s room, closing the door but leaving it slightly open allowing the light in the hallway to shine through into his room.
She poked her head into Andrea’s room, seeing the lamp on her bedside table on, admitting a soft glow onto the book she reading.
“Hello lovely,” Charlotte said, walking into the room and sitting on the edge of her daughters bed, “What you reading?”
“A book Daddy got me, when will he back?” She questioned,
“As I said to your brother earlier, I don’t know. I’m sorry sweetie, hopefully soon though.”
She sighed, putting the book onto the bedside table before snuggling into her soft duvet.
Charlotte chuckled, getting off the bed and leaning down to give her oldest a kiss and a hug.
“Good night sweetie, I love you. See you in the morning”
Charlotte was tucked up in bed, reading one of her all-time favourite books. A warm cup of tea placed on the bedside table, the soft glow from the fireplace leaving the room to be a little less cold then it normally would be.
The house was silent, only being able to hear the crackle as the wood burns, and the occasional sound from outside. She heard the front door open, and then the slam as the door was closed.
She got out of bed, wrapping her dressing gown loosely around her, before walking down the stairs.
“Hello?” She called, “Rog? Is that you?”
“Charlotte?” The voice called out, and she could tell it was Roger straight away. A very tipsy Roger.
“Rog! Oh my, you’re home!” She ran up to him, pulling him in for a tight hug.
“Oh I missed you! The kids missed you, they kept asking when you’d be home!”
Roger hugged her back, planting a soft kiss on her check. However, all Charlotte could concentrate on was the smell of women’s perfume on him.
Stepping away from the hug, she took all of him in. She now noticed how his hair seemed to be messy – nothing too out of the ordinary for him. But she noticed his clothes, the clothes that hadn’t been put on correctly, almost like he was rushing to get changed.
“Rog?” She asked, her voice being quieter then she wanted, “Why do you smell like women’s perfume?”
She never liked to be quick to assume someone was cheating, she always assumed it was the other person over reacting. But, knowing Roger’s pass of groupies, and been surrounded by beautiful women. She couldn’t help but think, maybe he really had cheated.
“…And why are your clothes on like that? You’re tipsy too, you couldn’t even be bothered to show up sober could you?”
Roger didn’t answer, just simply shrugged his shoulders, muttering a small, ‘please Charlotte, I’m tired let me go to sleep.”
“Oh,” she continued, “But you weren’t tired when you shagged that other women was you? You have a wife Roger! And children, yet you still can’t keep your hands to yourself. At least think of you children, you selfish bastard!”
Roger rolled his eyes, he knew she knew. He didn’t really hide the fact he had shagged another women moments before seeing his wife after 5 months.
“Charlotte, for Christ sake! Just calm down, so what? I shagged another women. Least she didn’t just yell at me after not seeing me for 5 fucking months!”
Charlotte stopped in her tracks, looking up into Rogers eyes. She knew it, and now he just admitted it.
“Roger, how could you? I’m your wife! You swore you wouldn’t ever touch another girl again! How many times have you cheated on me?” Her voice began to crack, “Your son’s birthday is next week!”
“What?” He asked, “What are you on about? Leo’s birthday is next month.”
Charlotte laughed, not a happy one. A cold, bitter laugh.
“His birthday is next week Roger. You’d know that if you decided to actually keep up with the date, and not just get drunk or high, or both every day.”
“You’re giving me a damn headache, just let me sleep. We’ll sort this out in the morning.”
“You’re sleeping on the couch.” She began walking up the stairs, turning round to look at Roger who was currently staring at her, a look of shock on his face, “I’ll throw down some clothes for you. Sleep wherever, just don’t expect to be welcomed into bed.”
